Letters to the Editor for March 22

I am writing this letter to lift up our History Museum’s director, Connie Nice, the Americorp volunteer coordinator and education assistant, Carly Squyres, and the heritage council.

As someone who has returned to live in this beautiful spot that I grew up in, I am thankful for these people who are not just presiding over some dusty artifacts but are creating an interactive exhibit and continuing the work others have done before that tell the stories of our community. Their vision and hard work are evident if you have visited the History Museum. County Commissioners, I recommend it.

Carolyn Downing Stevens

Hood River

Need safety for peds

I walk to work. I would ride my bike but it is too dangerous as there are no shoulders nor is there a crosswalk to safely enter the parking lot of my place of business. Walking also requires some careful navigation as the sun is often behind my back and drivers frequently can be seen speeding on the stretch of road closest to my office. I still have to navigate crossing the road, which often requires me holding up my hands to stop traffic. My only other option is to walk with the traffic, but that would mean walking in a ditch to dodge the cars coming behind me around a blind corner.

Where do I work? The high school. As increased environmental awareness as well as the cost of gas rises more and more people will be using alternative forms of transportation. Hood River, what will it take for you to make the roads safe to the high school?

Rachel Harry

Hood River

Change in leadership

I am very excited to welcome Stephanie Nystrom as the Democratic candidate for District 52- House of Representatives. Did you know that even though there are more registered democrats in Hood River than any other party, we do not have a democrat representing us in the State Legislature?

We need to vote for a change in leadership!

Stephanie is the democratic candidate that will best represent our interests and values. Some of her credentials include: a longtime small business owner (Nystrom Engineering), 23 years in Oregon, 10 years of land use experience, nine years as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA), served as Democratic Precinct Leader in Multnomah County and as a District Leader for House District 52.

Stephanie is super-smart and collaborative — she brought several members together from Clackamas, Hood River and Multnomah counties to explore issues and concerns across District 52.

Stephanie’s passions include: education, conservation, equality for all persons, and addressing the factors that have led to increasing income disparities.

We will get a chance to meet her over the next several months and I hope you will join me in supporting Stephanie Nystrom for House District 52.

We would like to invite any interested persons to attend the Hood River Democrats meetings on the second Tuesday of every month at 7 p.m. in the Hood River Library. If you do not like meetings there are other ways to get involved; Google Hood River democrats.

Sharon Guidera

Chair, Hood River Democrats

Hood River

Worth the hassle

Cover Oregon, what a mess! After two and a half months and three different applications, we finally got us a piece of Obamacare. And it was well worth the hassle. By shopping for health care through Cover Oregon, we get better medical coverage, a lower deductible and we get to keep seeing the same doctor at the same clinic as we had before. It’s even the same insurance company, MODA (which used to be ODS).

Before Obamacare, we were paying MODA $900 per month. Now we’ll be paying $500. Better medical coverage and saving $400 on health insurance; that’s the real impact Obamacare had on my family. That $400 will go a long way to help pay for fixing the roof, a new car or upcoming college expenses.

The roll-out of Cover Oregon has been a nightmare, plagued with website malfunction and possible political cover-up, but it’s undeniable, Obamacare has lowered the cost of health care for my family.

When I hear that our Congressman, Greg Walden, has voted to get rid of Obamacare 52 times, I don’t think he is serving my best interest. You have until the end of March to sign up, so you can get some Obamacare too!

Guy Tauscher

Hood River

Spring flowers

Wildflower lovers: If you missed the best show at Catherine Creek with the sunshine out in full flower too, here’s a great URL I got from Elizabeth Daniel: http://bit.ly/1gYs5Nw.

Good pics here. Maybe the sun will come out again before the lovely real ones are all gone and we can go up. Hope. Hope. Happy hunting.

Latest video:

"The tangled skirt" opens run at unique venue

Director Judie Hanel presents the Steve Braunstein play “The Tangled Skirt” in an unusual theatrical setting, River Daze Café. Here, Bailey Brice (Bruce Howard) arrives at a small town bus station and has a fateful encounter with Rhonda Claire (Desiree Amyx Mackintosh). Small talk turns into a deadly game of cat and mouse and both seek advantage. The actors present the story as a staged reading in the café, where large windows and street lights lend themselves to the bus station setting, according to Hanel. Performances are 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 28, Saturday, Sept. 30 and Sunday, Oct. 1. (There is no Friday performance.) Tickets available at the door or Waucoma Bookstore: $15 adults, $12 seniors and children under 15. No children under 9. Enlarge